October 2006

Music Performances - insightphotography.smugmug.com/Music
Theatre Performances - insightphotography.smugmug.com/Theater
Dance Performances - insightphotography.smugmug.com/Dance

Katrina:The Girl Who Wanted Her Name Back, as the name implies, is about the upheaval caused by the hurricane. The story is more layered than the name implies, with several threads exploring redemption, race, family ties, death, etc. The space is a box, with the audience on four sides, making its use a challenge. I liked the manner in which the theater was used, from the floor, to the aisles, to the doorways on the highest level. Equally imaginative was the way the orchestra is used for pieces of the dialogue. Lighting is difficult in the space, but Monique Norman did an admirable job. It worked especially well with the textures of the floor. The images are a testament. The script is well paced and engaging, and it was an enjoyable production. One factor I became very aware was the vocal quality of the actors. Since the faces of the actors were not well lit a lot of the time, I became more sensitive to the use of their voices, and the quality of their work.

Ballet Austin II's Not Afraid of the Dark is a wholesome family production that is shown frequently around Texas. This was the second time I saw the show in three years, and the light sequences are as enchanting as ever. Photographing this show is challenging, since it involves long exposure at times. But it resulted in some engaging/unusual images. The best section is the light show - and the sock puppets, showing off Tony Tucci and Stephen Mills imagination. If you get an opportunity to see the show in person, I highly recommend it. Meanwhile the images will be available for viewing until December.

C.V. Chandrashekhar, commemorated the beginning of a new performing arts institution, Natyaveda, in the DFW area. I had seen him only once when he toured close to a decade ago, with the Battery Dance Company's Purush Tour. In his lower seventies, Sir gave a commanding full blown performance without an intermission. I rarely get to see males performing bharatnatyam solos. So this was a double treat to see a doyen of the Kalakshetra in wonderful form. The main item was the Natakuranji varanam, Chalamela. I was impressed by his stamina and form. His abhinaya is more subtle than most dancers. It was a worthwhile trip to see a master who still has the magic. He gave some remarkable images, which can be viewed in the dance gallery until December.

Austin Dance Umbrella presents unique performances, usually in the modern/contemporary style, several times annually. 10 Minutes Max is the second show I photographed for them this year - and it was an interesting mix of modern styles. Groups from Austin and Houston were given...yes you guessed it... 10 min....to showcase their works. Some opted to break up the time into two pieces, while most opted to go with a single piece. The repertory was an interesting one - from Sarah Harris's visceral piece, to Jessica Lindberg's recreation of Loie Fuller's Fire Dance.

Houston Ballet's Dracula was the first work of Mr. Stevenson, that I had difficulty photographing and appreciating. The sets, costumes, lighting were wonderful - as expected from Houston Ballet's productions, but the choreography did not touch me. The pacing dragged a little for my taste. This is not to say that the performance did not have its moments. The production quality was amazing, flying was nicely done, the vocabulary of Dracula's minion fit the character very well, and some of the PPDs were engaging. Perhaps I had too high an expectation - having heard so much about the production.

Coming up - Tapestry World of Dance, Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance, Texas Ballet Theater Gala, second take on Blue Lapis Light's Requiem, and several other productions.